Batten assembly to hold enclosure sheets

ABSTRACT

A batten assembly has two battens that bear on two enclosure sheets adjacent each other, each batten having two looped portions at opposite side extremities that are spaced laterally apart, said looped portions of each said batten bearing respectively on said curtains which are held in predetermined position by fastening means.

United States Patent 1 Eckel A Nov. 5, 1974 1 BATTEN ASSEMBLY TO HOLD ENCLOSURE SHEETS [76] Inventor: Alan Eckel, 155 Fawcett St.,

Westford, Mass. 02138 [22] Filed: Mar. 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 239,500

[52] US. Cl. 52/753 .1, 52/544 [51] Int. C1. Fl6b 5/02 [58] Field of Search 287/189.36 C, 189.36 D,

287/189.36 F, 20.92 J, 20.92 W; 52/467, 2, 63, 469, 584, 543-551, 63; 46/31, 20, 29; 24/37, 16; 160/398, 399, 402, 404; 61/1 F [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 537,569 4/1895 Flatau 52/467 1,872,014 8/1932 Schjolin 287/2092 W 2,417,922 3/1947 Frazer 160/404 3,263,385 8/1966 Pauls 52/467 X 3,398,496 8/1968 Mischkc 52/467 X 3,432,196 3/1969 Marchiorcllo 52/584 X 3,724,886 4/1973 Widerby 52/584 X 3,763,608 10/1973 Chamblee 52/469 X Primary Examiner.1ordan Franklin Assistant ExaminerWayne L. Shedd [57] ABSTRACT A batten assembly has two battens that bear on two enclosure sheets adjacent each other, each batten having two looped portions at opposite side extremities that are spaced laterally apart, said looped portions of I each said batten bearing respectively on said curtains which are held in predetermined position by fastening 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BATTEN ASSEMBLY TO HOLD ENCLOSURE SHEETS OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The principal object of my invention is to provide battens with looped portions which latter hold two enclosure sheets, where they meet or overlap, firmly together, leaving no open space between said sheets.

Another object is to provide battens with looped portions that are spaced laterally apart, which spaces enable the use of fastening members that extend through the latter and terminate even with the outer surfaces of said battens.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my invention.

ln the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of two enclosure sheets, broken away, fastened together at the point where they meet by two battens located at opposite faces of said sheets.

F IG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of said assembly; but showing a bolt countersunk in one batten and a washer having a widened base in the space provided by one of the battens which washer receives the bolt.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of said washer with its widened base.

As illustrated, my batten assembly is used in combination with enclosure sheets such as curtains or drapes 10 and 12, two being shown. Each curtain as shown, has an exterior flat piece 14 of firm or relatively tough material such as leather or plastic. A flat piece 16 of relatively light or resilient material, such as foam rubber, is opposite said piece 14 andunited thereto. The sides of these curtains 10 and 12 are adjacent each other, being shown overlapping as at 18.

Two of said curtains, side-by-side, are held at opposite faces thereof by connectors or battens 22 and 23, each one contacting a face of a said curtain. The battens are preferably made of metal. In this instance, said batten 22 twice contacts said curtain exterior piece 14 and batten 23 twice contacts said resilient piece 16. Each batten has a body portion 24 and integral therewith are looped or turned-over portions 26 and 28 at opposite side extremities of said body 24. These battens 22 and 23 are at opposite faces of said curtains l0 and 12 and said looped portions 26 and 28 bear on or contact said battens where they overlap as at 18.

Fastening means shown as a pin member 32, such as a bolt or screw, extend into both said battens and the overlapped flat pieces 14 and 16 between them. This pin member 32 may have a countersunk head 36 as shown in said FIG. 2. It is retained by a retainer member 38 as shown as a screw-threaded washer 38 that has a base 40. As shown, this washer and base extend across the space between said looped portions 26 and 28 and into the space between the latter and said body portion 24. By screwing said pin member 32 into said washer 38 said battens 22 and 23 are drawn towards each other, thus tightly holding said curtains 10 and 12 between them.

What I claim is:

1. In a battened joint between a pair of curtains, in combination, a first curtain and a second curtain positioned in side-by-side relationship, each curtain comprising a sheet of resilient material and a sheet of nonresilient material facially united to each other, each curtain having an edge, a proximate side and a distal side, the edges of the curtains being substantially parallel to each other, the resilient sheet of each curtain being on its distal side, the adjacent edges of the curtains being overlapped with their overlapped portions being in facial contacting relation; a first batten and a second batten, each batten having a main body and two looped portions extending inwardly from said main body at opposite sides thereof, said looped portions contacting the respective outer faces of said curtains, said first batten extending along and in continuous contact with only the distal side of the overlapped portion of said first curtain and said second batten extending along and in continuous contact with only the proximate side of the overlapped portion of said second curtain and fastening means holding said battens and said overlapped portions of said curtains firmly together, whereby said resilient material is compressed against said non-resilient material and open spaces between said overlapped portions of said curtains are eliminated.

2. A batten assembly as in claim 1, said inwardly turned looped portions of each said batten forming opposed, substantially coplanar fianges spaced from said main body portion and being spaced laterally apart thus forming a space within each batten, said fastening means including a retainer member extending across the space between said flanges and into said looped portions of one said batten, a tensioned pin member engaged with the other of said battens and extending at least into said spaces, said pin member being engagingly received by said retainer member, whereby said battens are held in contact with said curtains. 

1. In a battened joint between a pair of curtains, in combination, a first curtain and a second curtain positioned in side-by-side relationship, each curtain comprising a sheet of resilient material and a sheet of non-resilient material facially united to each other, each curtain having an edge, a proximate side and a distal side, the edges of the curtains being substantially parallel to each other, the resilient sheet of each curtain being on its distal side, the adjacent edges of the curtains being overlapped with their overlapped portions being in facial contacting relation; a first batten and a second batten, each batten having a main body and two looped portions extending inwardly from said main body at opposite sides thereof, said looped portions contacting the respective outer faces of said curtains, said first batten extending along and in continuous contact with only the distal side of the overlapped portion of said first curtain and said second batten extending along and in continuous contact with only the proximate side of the overlapped portion of said second curtain and fastening means holding said battens and said overlapped portions of said curtains firmly together, whereby said resilient material is compressed against said non-resilient material and open spaces between said overlapped portions of said curtains are eliminated.
 2. A batten assembly as in claim 1, said inwardly turned looped portions of each said batten forming opposed, substantially coplanar flanges spaced from said main body portion and being spaced laterally apart thus forming a space within each batten, said fastening means including a retainer member extending across the space between said flanges and into said looped portions of one said batten, a tensioned pin member engaged with the other of said battens and extending at least into said spaces, said pin member being engagingly received by said retainer member, whereby said battens are held in contact with said curtains. 